Now that the SUV & luxo car owners have voted themselves and anyone else willignly seduced by the promise to save a few personal dollars a year, who will volunteer to pony up the millions needed to pay for road repair, public safety and public transit that are now on the chopping block?

-- (jfloor@jps.net), November 04, 1999

Answers

a good chunk of it is called Safeco Field, remember our elected officals declared a state emergency to fund it. Lets see what else how about state liquor stores, state ferry service, county transit systems, all these non-essential services have no business being state run. Lets see how much money did we give the WTO what $250,000 , something like that.

Shall I continue?

-- no chance (kingoffools_99@yahoo.com), November 04, 1999.

EASY- Dump Sound Transit! That leaves you plenty to INCREASE road repair and public safety, and fund a BASIC transit program.

-- Craig Carson (craigcar@crosswinds.net), November 04, 1999.

in case you need some more reality check out "don't cry for Seattle" in the posts below

-- no chance (kingoffolls_99@yahoo.com), November 04, 1999.

Are you suggesting that Ron Sims, Governor Locke, and WA State City councils are incapable of rightly prioritizing between the important and the needless? Let's face it - anyone can come up with 2% in savings! Besides, your question belies your class envy problem....not to mention your public education spelling skills.

-- Anne Ball (anneball@msn.com), November 04, 1999.

Ann Makes a great point above. It seems that no I-695 opponents can grasp or attempt acknowledge that the government is NOT currently spending our dollars wisely. Inefficiency is practically a synonym for Government these days. Having prepared budgets for a number of years and multiple companies, there is no doubt in my mind that the necessary cuts can be made to this budget with very little impact on essential services (other than cutting the fat out of them) Governmental fund accounting does prohibit the transfer of dollars between funds, however, the legislature can change this and reallocate to meet the needs of the state. This isn't brain surgery, it's just going to be a little painful to get it figured out. Efficiency comes with a price. I'm willing to pay it. It's time to stop throwing tax dollars at every new problem. Fix the broken machine.

-- budget man (tux@mltp.com), November 04, 1999.

How about we turn the now idle ferries into fishing trawlers. Or better yet sport fishing boats. Just imagin all the fishing poles hanging over the sides.

Plus the state could charge $50 per person. They'd rake in the dough.

Ed - plus on such a big boat I might not get sea-sick. of course the way those guys keep crashing into things I'd have to raise my life insurance

-- Ed (ed_brigdes@yahoo.com), November 04, 1999.

All the 38% initiative 695 opposers should refuse to pay a $30 license tab and pay the full 2% they are now paying. They can save the world from those of us who are tired of government waste of our money.

-- (sps2045@netscape.net), November 05, 1999.